Slicing machine



April 6, 1943 A. A. KOTTMANN Erm. 2,315,711

SLIC'ING MACHINE 4 Filed June 28, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l N6 #will 4.5#4/

INVENTORS ARTHUR A. KOTTMAN N EARL C. VOLLM ER ATTORNEY April 6, 1943 A. A. 'KOTTMANN Erm. 2,315,711

SLICING MACHINE Filed June 28. 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ARTHUR A. KOTTMANN EARL C. VOLLMER BY W4/w L YS ATTORNE Patented Apr. 6, 1943 SLICING MACHINE Arthur A. Kottmann, Davenport, Iowa, and Earl C. Vollmer, Rock Island, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Bettendorf Company, a corporation of Maryland Original application March 6, 1939, Serial No. 260,046. Divided and this application June 28, 1941, Serial No. 400,270

7 Claims.

This invention relates to slicing machines and has particular application to safety devices or controls for use in quickly arresting or stopping the motion of endless band type cutters in power driven bread slicing machines. This application is a division of our copending application, Serial No. 260,046 filed March 6, 1939.

Slicing machines for bread and the like that include a plurality of cutter bands trained in side by side relation -around spaced parallel supporting drums are customarily used under such circumstances that it is desirable for the apparatus, particularly the cutter bands, to be brought to rest automatically very quickly upon breakage of one or more of theendless cutters. These cutters are customarily made of spring-like steel bands which tend to straighten out or move away from the supporting drums when relieved of their tension, so that when a break occurs the broken band is apt to be thrown dangerously near the operatorfof the machine. Accordingly, if the apparatus, particularly the supporting and driving means for the cutters, is not quickly stopped, the broken blade may be again entrained or drawn into the mechanism, thereby causing further damage and possibly injuring the operator. Additionally, since the bands are relatively close together on the supporting drums, a broken band is readily engaged by one of the adjacent bands to be drawn into and entrained in amongst the moving cutters.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the presi ent invention to provide a generally improved safety control or device for slicing machines of the continuous band type which'is capable of quickly and effectively deenergizing the drive mechanism for the blades. More speciiically, the invention aims to provide such a control or device that, in addition to deenergizing the r,drive mechanism, will also automatically apply brake means to the drive for arresting the movement of the cutter bands and associated parts. The invention contemplates improvements in the drive means for endless cutter band slicing machines, improvements in the braking mechanism for arresting the movement of endless cutter bands, and improvements in the controls governing the drive and braking means of endless cutter band slicers. The invention contemplates the use of the inherent resiliency of steel or spring-like cutter bands causing the same to spring away from guiding and supporting drums to actuate or eiiect operation of the control means.

A still further object is to provide a generally improved safety device or control for bread slicing machines and the like which is simple in design and construction and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description of a suitable embodiment of the in- Y switch and the actuating mechanism therefor;

Fig. 4 is a foreshortened detail view partly in section and with parts broken away, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic detail, partly in section, showing displacement of the trip lever of the safety switch.

In describing the invention and the principles thereof, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings by letters and numerals which indicate like parts throughout the several views. Articles A, such as loaves of bread to be sliced, are advanced into the cutters or blades B by an infeed or loading conveyor C. Upper and lower blade guides or spacers D and E, respectively, are provided to adjust the distance between adjacent laps or runs of the cutters B and -to guide the same, as well as to confine the articles during slicing. The sliced articles are received by an outfeed or discharge conveyor F which carries the articles away from the cutters B and forwards the same to another operating instrumentality, such iorexample as a wrapping machine. The drive for the conveyors C. and F is through a clutch structure or arrangement G; and a brake arrangement H is provided to control the movement of the cutters B so that the same may be quickly stopped in case of accident or breakage.

A suitable supporting structure is provided for the several parts and assemblies of the machine and may comprise side frames l and 2 which, in the present instance, are constructed of angle irons or bars. The side frames are held in spaced substantially parallel relation with respect to one another by a number of cross members 3. If desired, side panels 4 and 5 may be provided to enclose the operating mechanism.' These panels may be hingedly connected to the side frames so that the mechanisms may be readily exposed for inspection and such adjustment as cannot'be made while the enclosing panels are shut. Other enclosing Panels (not shown) may be provided to extend between the side frames I and 2, and the-se panels also may be hingedly connected to the supporting structure.

The infeed conveyor C comprises an inclined apron or table 6 which supports the articles A as they are advanced into the slicing mechanism. A plurality of upstanding iiights 1 carried lietween side belts or chains 8, move over the table E and engage the rear side of articles to advance the latter. The side belts 8 are carried around spaced rotatable elements 9 and II) mounted on shafts II and I2 respectively, supported by sup plementary frame members I4 which are closer together than the side frames I and 2 but which constitute part of the main supporting structure.

At the sides of the infeed conveyor C are spaced parallel guides I5 which engage the ends of the articles A to center the articles with respect to the cutting mechanism.

The cutters B comprise a multiplicity of relatively thin exible endless cutter bands which are formed of fine quality spring 'steel and have a series of sharp scallops or serrations formed along one edge. These blades are carried around spaced parallel cylinders or drum members I1 and I8 which'are suitably mounted in the supporting structure. These drums have smooth cylindrical surfaces which extend from side to side of the machine so that the cutter bands may move axially thereover as the spacing of the bands is altered by the guide mechanisms D and E. Between the drums I1 and I8 the bands B are given a half twist so that they cross one another substantially midway between the drums 'to present the cutting scallops or serrations ofboth runs of each band toward the oncoming loaf.

t each side of the machine and forming a part of each of the side frames I and 2 is a pairI of diagonally disposed framing members I9 and 28 which are in spaced parallel relation with respect to one another and serve as supports for the top and bottom drums I1 and I8, respectively. A stationary shaft 22 extends through and rotatably mounts the top drum I1 and is supported 'between aligned spindles, one of which is shown at 23, and which spindles are received in sockets formed in the ends of the shaft 22.

The spindles 23 are carried by slide members 33 adjustably supported by brackets 35 disposed at the opposite sides of the slicing machine and between the frame members I9 and 28 adjacent the upper ends of the latter. The members 33 are held in place by gibs 31 and the movement of the members 33 is confined by the brackets and gibs so that it is in a rectilinear path such as to carry the drum I1 toward or away from the drum I8 for regulating the tension in the cutters B. Suitable mechanism is provided for moving the slides 33 in unison to adjust the tension in the cutters by varying the spacing between the drums I1 and I8. e

Adjacent the upper drum I1 and in parallel relation therewith is a pair of guide drums 'I1 and 18 which are also in parallel relation with respect to one another. A second pair of guide drums 18 and 80 are disposed adjacent the bottom drum I8 (rotatably mounted on shaft 66) in parallel relation thereto and in parallel relation to one another. The guide drums 11, 18, 19 and 80 are preferably of substantially the same diameter as the end drums I1 and I8 and are carried by transverse shafts 82 which are journaled in brackthe bands.

ets secured to the frame members I8 and 28. These guide drums are all of cylindrical form with continuous surfaces like the end supporting drums i1 and i8 and extend transversely across the machine so that the cutter bands can move laterally *hereover in axial'directions, similarly to the movement of the bands over the supporting drums i1 and I8, as the spacing of the bands is altered.

The guide drums 11 and 8B are arranged to defiect the runs of the cutters B which move downwardly toward a plane which passes through the rotational axes of the drums I1 and i8. Likewise, the guide drums 18 and 19 are arranged to deflect the upwardly moving runs of the bands B toward the same plane. In this manner both the upwardly and downwardly moving runs of all the bands are disposed in approximately a common plane which passes through the stationary shafts supporting the end drums which carry It is to be noted that the length of the band runs between the guide drums 11 and 88 is equal to the length of the band runs between the drums 18 and 19, or substantially so.

The cutting zone of the bands into which the articles A are fed is located substantially equal distances from both sets of the end and guide drums. Above and below such zone the runs of the bands are received by slotted ngers 84 of the upper and lower blade spacing and guiding mechanisms D and E, respectively, which form the subject matter and are more fully described in copending patent application of Earl C. Vollmer and Frederick A Herwehe, Serial No. 260,044, lecl March 6, 1939. Briefly, the blade spacing mechanisms D and E comprise a plurality ofelongated guide members 85y which individually carry the slotted fingers 84 and are supported in a housing 38. The several guide members 85 have elongated slots which receive pins of lazy tongs whereby the guide members may be uniformly expanded or contracted upon actuation of the lazy tongs.

A plate member |05 is secured to the housing 86 of the bottom spacing mechanism E to engage the underside of articles A moving into the slicing-mechanism and support the same after they move beyond the end of the conveyor apron 6. The plate member I05 is, accordingly, disposed so that its supporting surface is substantially in line with the supporting surface of the conveyor apron. An article holddown or top guide IGS is secured to the support housing 86 of the upper blade spacer D and is disposed above the plate member I5 and conveyor apron 6 and in spaced parallel relation thereto. This holddown engages the tops of articles "moving into the cutters to guide and confine the same during feeding and slicing. i

Adjacent the ends of the slotted guide fingers 84 of each of the blade guiding mechanisms is disposed a roller bar |23 which engages the back or non-cutting edges of the bands B. These roher bars are made of hard wear-resistant material such as steel and are rotatably mounted in ball bearing assemblies suitably supported. The roller bar of the upper guide mechanism is supported to engage the Iback edges of the downwardly moving runs only of the bands B. The roller of the lower blade spacer is adjustably supported by a cross member |33 mounted between the side frames of the machine. This lower roller bar is adjusted to engage the upwardly moving runs only of the cutters B. In this manner each run of all the bands is engaged intermediate the spaced guide drums by one of a pair of transversely disposed parallel roller bars which prevent displacement of the bands in the direction of article movement through the cutters during the slicing operation. Whereas in the machines of the character contemplated by the present invention it is important that adjacent runs of the cutter ,bands move in opposite directions in order to provide an improved slicing operation,.it is also important to guide and support the rear or non-cutting edges of the cutter bands against displacement by the articles as they are `forced through the machine. Therefore, while both the upwardly moving and downwardly moving runs of the bands are deflected into approximately a common plane as pointed out above, yet there is a suillcient crossing of the alternate runs so that in the region of the roller bars |23 only one set of the runs contacts each of the roller bars, permitting each of the bars to rotate under the inuence of the runs with which it is in frictional engagement.

An electric motor is mounted in the base of the machine, supported between the side frames I and 2, and one end of its shaft |36 has a pulley which carries belt 31 trained over a pulley secured to one end of the bottom blade drum I 8. In this manner .the bands B are actuated through frictional engagement with the lower drum I8. As viewed in Fig. 2, the drum |8 rotates in a clock- -wise direction and the movement of the bands B actuates the opposite end or blade supporting drum |1 in a counterclockwise direction. The intermediate pairs of spaced parallel guide drums are also actuated through frictional engagement with the several runs of the bands.

On the end of the motor shaft |36 opposite the pulley which carries the belt |31 is mounted a brake wheel |39 which is partially embraced by a pair of brake shoes carried by brake arms |40 and |4| pivoted at |42 on a stationary bracket |43 secured to the motor base. 'I'he brake ,arms |40 and |4| have extensions which are normally drawn together by means of a rod |44 and a helical compression spring |45, the rod |44 passing freely through an aperture in the end of the brake arm |4|.

A -bell crank lever |41 is .pivoted to the arm |40 and is connected to the arm |4| by an adjustable length link |48, so that by pivotal movement of the lever, the arms |40 and |4| may be separated against the force of the spring 45 to release the rods |53 which are grip of the brake shoes on the brake Wheel |39.

An electrically operated-solenoid coil |49 has an armature |50 connected'by a link |5| to the end of the bell crank lever |41. The solenoid |49 is arranged so that upon energization thereof the armature |50 is drawn downwardly, as viewed in Fig. 2, to actuate the bell crank lever and release the grip of the brake shoes on the brake wheel |39. Thus the brake is arranged under the iniluence of the spring |45 .to normally lock the shaft of the motor |35 against rotation so that, through the belt |31 and the drum I3, movement of the cutter bands B is prevented. By energization of the solenoid |49, however, the brake on the motor is released so that the motor shaft may rotate, permitting actuation of the cutter bands B.

Although the manufacture of endless cutter bands has been considerably perfected so that they will operate for long periods of time without failure, it is important that when breakage does occur, the mechanism be arrested as quickly as possible. Therefore, in order to detect the breakage of a cutter band, the present invention proposed adjacent both the upper and lower blade' p carrying drums |1 and I6 to be actuated in response to the movement of a broken blade. The safety controls comprise transversely extending provided with laterally extending flange members |54 and are pivotally mounted between pointed pins |55 lwhich are adjustably carried by brackets |56 carried by cross members |52 secured between the side frames I and 2. Each of the ange members |54 is directed toward the cylindrical peripheral surface of the particular upper or lower blade supporting drum adjacent which it is mounted and is in par- Y allel relation with respect to the axis of the drum.

The pointed -pivots |55 are engaged in suitable sockets in the ends of the rods 53 and the adjustment of the pivots is such that very slight pressure is required against either side of one of the flange members |54 to displace the same and to thereby turn or rotate one of the rods 53. At one end of each of the rods |53 is secured an`arm |51 which has an angularly disposed linger |58 engaged by one end of an arm |59 which is mounted on a metal leaf spring |62. The arm |59 of the upper safety control is arranged to actuate a mercury or other suitable switch |50, and the arm |59 of the lower safety control actuates a similar switch 6|. The arrangement of the switches is such that when the spring actuated arms |59 are held depressed by the fingers |58 of the arms |51, an electric circuit is completed through the switches |60 and |6|. Upon displacement of one of the iiange members |54, as shown by the full lines of Fig. 6, the associated switch arm |59 is released by the finger |58 so that the arm moves upwardly under the influence of the spring leaf |62 to actuate the switch and break the electrical circuit.

One method or wiring arrangement forutilizing the safety control is diagrammatically i1- lustrated in Fig. 3, wherein the electrical power for actuating the motor |35 is derived from electrical power Wires or conductors LI, L2 and L3. These wires lead to a magnetic switch |63 controlled by a magnetic or solenoid coil |64. One side or terminal of this coil is connected to conductor L| and the other terminal or side is connected to conductor L3 by wires through manual switch |65 and safety switches |60 and |6|. The switches |65, 60, and |6| are in series so that in order to energize the coil |64 to close the magnetic switch |63, all three switches, namely, |60, |6|, and |65, must be closed. Upon energization of the coil |34 of the magnetic switch |63, the armature of the latter effects contact between the conductors LI, L2 and L3, and wires |66, |61, and |68, respectively, which energize the motor |35. Branches of the wires |61 and |68 are connected lto the solenoid coil |49 which actuates the lbell crank |41 and releases the brake arms |40 and |4| of the brake H, permitting the motor |35 to drive the drum I8 and bands B. If at any time one of the switches |60, |6|, or |66 should be actuated to break the electrical circuit through the coil |64, the armature of the magnetic switch |63 automatically moves to disconnect the wires |66, |61, and |68 from the power `conductors Ll, L2, and L3, thus deenergizing the motor |35 and the brake solenoid |49. The brake shoes are thus applied to the brake wheel |39 under the pressure of the spring |45, bringing the drums |1 and I9 and the bands B to rest very quickly. By placing a safety release switch, such as the switches |60 and |6|, ad-

jacent each of the end drums |1 and I8, a. very close controlvof the actuating mechanism is obtained so that upon the breaking of one of the bands, the mechanism is brought to `a stop before the unbroken bands have travelled more than a few feet. This feature is of considerable importance since failure to stop the mechanism after a band is broken is apt to result in the breakage of additional bands because of the original broken band becoming entangled in the others.

The resiliency of the bands is such that upon breaking of one of the bands, the portions of the broken band around the end drums and i8 are thrown or expand radially, contacting and deiiecting the flange member |54 of one of the safety control switches. Where but a single safety switch is employed in a device of this character, it sometimes occurs that such switch fails to operate and the damage intended to be avoided occurs. However, by providing a plurality of the safety switches in series, the probability that all of the safety switches will fail to function is very remote. It is to be noted that each of the safety switches |60 and 56| is subject to the influence of all of the bands, so that regardless of the band which breaks, either one or both of the safety switches may be actuated thereby. After stoppage of the slicer through one of the safety stop switches, such switch must be reset with the finger 58 thereof engaged under the end of the spring pressed arm |59 before the machine can be again set in operation.

Sliced articles are received from the cutter bands B by the discharge conveyor F and forwarded thereover into the next instrumentality to operate on the articles; such, for example, as a wrapping machine (not shown). Thel conveyor F comprises a table or apron lllll which engages the underside of the articles and supports the same. A pair of spaced parallel endless side belts or chains lll have their upper laps trained over the table il@ and at the ends of the conveyor are carried over rotatable members or sprockets i i2 and H3, which are mounted on shafts ill/ and H5, respectively, which are revolution, which is contemplated for the arrangement shown in the drawings.

Carried by the shaft |82 is a clutch structure which is part of the clutch arrangement G and comprises a drum-like housing |83 yrotatable with respect to the shaft |82 and adapted to drivingly connect the chain |80 with the conveyors C and F described above.

Carried by the clutch housing 883 and rotatable therewith is a sprocket which drives a chain 205 trained over a sprocket secured on a jack shaft 20B, the latter being journaled in the side frames of the slicing machine. Intermediate shaft 20S, journaled in the side frames, is driven from the jack shaft 2Gb by means of chain 2id. The infeed conveyor C is driven from the intermediate shaft 209 by means of a chain 2M carried around a sprocket secured on one end of the conveyor shaft li. A chain 2|? is trained over sprockets secured on the jack shaft 20d and the shaft H5, respectively, of the discharge or forwarding conveyor F to drive the latter. Thus, both the inieed and discharge conveyors are provided with a drive which includes a common clutch structure, so that upon actuation of the clutch to disconnect the drive, both conveyors may be brought to a standstill at the same time.

rlhe principles of the present invention may be utilized in various ways, numerous modifications and alterations being contemplated, substitution of parts and changes in construction being resorted to as desired, it being understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are given merely for purposes of explanation and illustration without intending to limit the scope of the claims to the specic details disclosed.

What we claim is:

l. A slicing machine comprising spaced rotatable drums, a multiplicity of endless cutter bands of resilient material trained under tension about the drums, electric drive means for one of the journaled in support members il@ carried. by the side frames i and Flights lll are secured to and extend between the side belts illEl at uniform intervals and are arranged to be moved over the surface of the table il@ so as'to engage the rear sides of the articles to forward the articles. The flights ill of the discharge conveyor F are synchronized with the flights l of the feed conveyor through common drive means. -Guides titi are provided at the sides of the conveyorF above lthe table @lil and in spaced parallel relation to one another. These guides are adjustable to engage the ends of the sliced articles to hold the same together as thearticles are forwarded to the wrapping machine.

It is essential that the movement of articles through the slicing machine be synchronized with the cyclic operation of the machine which wraps the sliced articles. One of the most convenient methods of obtaining this synchronization is to' drive the slicing machine conveyors by the wrap- A ping machine. Such an arrangement is contemplated by the present invention and the numeral |80 indicates a chain driven by the wrapping machine and trained over a sprocket |8| secured on a shaft |82 journaled between the side frames ofthe slicing machine. The chain |80 is driven so that the shaft |82 rotates through a predetermined angular movement for each cycle of the wrapping machine, such, for example, as one drums, an electric circuit for operating the drive means, a switch for controlling said circuit to stop the drive means, a movable member mounted to turn about an axis substantially paralleling the rotational axis of one of the drums and extending across a number of the bands and closely adjacent the paths thereof, and means connecting the movable member to the switch, said movable member being moved by the impact thereagainst oi a broken band so as to release the switch and stop the drive.

2. A slicing machine comprising spaced rotatable drums, a multiplicity or endless cutter bands of resilient material trained under tension about the drums, electric drive means for one of the drums, an electric circuit for operating the drive means,a switch for controlling said circuit to stop the drive means, a movable member extending across a number of the bands and closely adjacent the paths thereof, and a latch responsive to the movement of said member and normally connected to said switch, said latch being arranged to hold the movable member in position to be engaged by a broken band so that the im- 'pact of the blade against the member actuates paralleling the rotational axis of one of the drums and normally extending from its pivotal axis in a direction toward said paths, said pivoted member being moved by the impact thereagalnst of a broken band and arranged to actuate the control to stop the drive.

4. A slicing machine comprising spaced rotatable drums, a multiplicity of endless^cuttcr bands of resilient material trained under tension about the drums, drive means for the drums, and a control for the drive including a member extending in substantially parallel relation to one of the drums, said .member being mounted to turn about an ams substantially paralleling the rotational axis of said one drum. and disposed closely adiacent the curved portions or the paths of a number of bands as they are bent and carried around auch drum, said member being moved by the impact thereagainst of a broken band as the latter straightens through inherent resiliency when the tension is relieved to actuate the control and stop the drive.

5. .a slicing machine comprising spaced rotatable drums, a multiplicity of endless cutter bands o resilient material trained under tension about the drums, electric drive means for one of the drums, en electric circuit for operating the drive means, a pair of switches series connected for controlling said circuit to stop the drive means, movable members each extending across@u number of the bands and closely adjacent the portions oi the band paths extending around one of the drinne, and means connecting each switch to one oi the movable members, said movable members being shifted by the impact thereagainst of a broken blade so as to release one of the switches and thereby stop the drive.

6. In a slicing machine having cutter bandsv and means for driving the same, a control for said drive including an electric switch mounted to normally move to drive stopping position, a member movably mounted adjacent the cutter bands and in position to be engaged and moved by a band upon breaking of the latter, and latch means interconnecting the movable member and the switch to hold the latter from movement to drive stopping position, said member arranged to actuate the latch to release the switch upon being engaged by a band.

7. In combination in a slicing machine having spaced rotatable drums and endless band cutters trained about the drums, electricaLdrive means for one of the drums, brake means for arresting movement of the cutters, means normally acting to apply the brake means and thereby arrest cutter movement, electrical holding means operative when energized to prevent application oi the brake means, and means common to the drive means and the holding means for controlling the supply of electric current thereto, said control means including a member disposed in normal position across a number of the bands and closely adjacent the paths thereof in auch relation and so mounted as to be moved and displaced from said position by the impact thereagainst of a cutter band upon breakage o the latter, the control being responsive to such displacement of the member to simultaneously deenergize the drive means and the holding means to thereby immediately arrest the cutters. 

